Improvement in consolidating coal-dust foe fuel



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WILLIAM OQTNER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM J,

- FOOTNER, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 77,970, dated May 19, 1868.

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To ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that- I, W[LLIAM F00'1'NEB',-of"Ch-icago, in the cou nty of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented or discovered a new Method-of Consolidating Coal-Dust, end Utilizing the same for Fuel; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of suchinvention or discovery, suflicient to' enable others to use the same. i

I The'coal should be first well pulverized, so as not- Ito contain any lumps, which may be done in any convcuient manner, To one ton of coal-dust I add eight pounds ofglue,dissolved in twenty gallons of water. I then thoroughly mix the 'dust and glue-solution, forminga thick paste. This pastel place in moulds, of suituhle form and size, and subject the paste to pressure. I recommend pressure of from fifteen to twenty tons to the square inch, though ai-greater or less degree may be used. The'glue is prepared in the usual'manner, being first placed in cold water, and then dissolved by the application of heat. Cylindrical moulds,'three inches in diameter, and from two to four inches deep, will be suitable for ordinary use. The pressuremay be applied by any known method, but provision should be made for the escape of: air and the watery particles which will be pressed out. The blocks may be removed from the moulds immediately after being pressed. when removed, they, should be permitted to dry three or four days before handling, after which time thcywill be hard, and can be handled without breaking. While drying, they should not be exposed to storms. l

In burning, the. prepared blocks r'ctain their form until consumed. The'glueheiug thoroughly mixed with theidust comes in contect'with each particle, and, in fact, the application ofhe'at does not consume the glue and leave the particles of dust to fell apart, but the prepared block bur'ns substantially like alump of coal.

It will he observed that there isbut a small portion of foreign matter introduced, and the nature of the glue is such that in burning the consolidated dust, the quantity of smoke will not be perceptibly greziter then that from coal of the some kind as the dust;

My method may be successfully used both with anthracite end bituminous-coal'du st. V

.Having thus fully described'my invention, what I claimlas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: i

Consolidating particles of coal .by mixing with a solution.of glue, and compressing. substantially as and for the purposes specified WILLIAM FOOTNER.

Witnesses:

L. L. Ben, E. A. Wear. 

